[Endolymphatic radionuclide therapy of the malignant melanoma (author's transl)].

In the radiological hospital of Essen, 139 patients with malignant melanomas on the extremities have been submitted to an endolymphatic radionuclide therapy between May 29, 1970 and January 1, 1976. The survival rates of the different tumor stages are indicated and the changes of the survival curves since the last evaluation of August 31, 1973 are discussed. If the endolymphatic radionuclide therapy is applied, there is no risk of important side effects or complications. If an adequate surgical therapy has been effected prior to the radiotherapy, we consider the endolymphatic radionuclide therapy to be indicated above all in case of a malignant melanoma of the clinical stage I or II when the primary tumor is situated in the lower extremity.